Apparatus for recording telephone call charges



Aug. 20, 1940. M s 2,211,754

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING TELEPHONE CALL CHARGES Filed July 20, 1938 [n vento/"x Pm, PWMW Patented Aug. 20, 1940 ATENT OFFICE APPARATUS For. RECORDING TELEPHONE oALL onaacns Maximilian Mathias, Eerlin-Charlottenburg,

' Germany Application July 20, 1938, Serial No. 220,358

In Germany March '7, 1934 Claims.

. 8 to be made against each customer in a telephone system for calls made by the customer.

Now the charges are widely different depending from the nature of a talking connection, viz., if it is a connection within the customers domi- 110 cile or if it is a connection to a distant place.

As a rule it is not desired to record charges for local connectionsthe charge for each connection being very low-whereas it is important to have the charges for connections to distant places recorded, owing to the much higher amounts thereof. Therefore it is the purpose of this invention to provide charge recording means for talking connections in communication transmitting systems which become efiective only for such connection requiring a charge which surpasses a certain amount, whereas charges below such amount leave the recording means ineffective. The effect aimed at is secured by a recording counter in operative connection with a paper 5 strip adapted to receive a print recording the counter position, indicating the charge to be paid, and mechanism for preventing recording of items below a certain amount.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated 0 somewhat diagrammatically on the accompanying drawing showing a wiring diagram for a charge-impulse transmitting and recording device according to the invention which may be located as well at the telephone ofiice as at the customers home.

The recording device proper comprises type wheels cooperating with a record strip P wound on a supply drum Q. In the drawing only one type wheel T loosely mounted on a shaft A is shown which is actuated step by step by a magnet G under control of charge impulses energizing a relay J, which on energization closes its contacts i1 and i2 of which the former has connection with the positive pole of a source of electric current (not shown). Magnet G attracts on energization its armature B which by a pawl 12 drives a ratchet wheel Z that is secured to the type wheel T and the cam discs C and C that 50 actuate contacts It and m respectively. Contacts k are closed by cam C as soon as wheel T makes a step from zero position whereas contacts m are closed by cam disc C only when the type wheel T has made a predetermined number of 55 steps, for instance three steps from zero position.

Each charge impulse sent from the telephone office effects energization of relay J as already stated and closes the following circuit: plug pole of the source of current, contacts 21, magnet G,

contacts d which are normally closed, and nega- 5 tive pole of the source. If for instance nine charge impulses are emitted the magnet G communicates to the type wheel T a rotative movement of nine steps. In connection with the first step from Zero, contacts is are closed and after 1 a predetermined number of steps, for instance concurrently with the third step, contacts m are closed, establishing thereby the following circuit: positive pole of the source, the coil of relay H, contacts i2, contacts m, and negative pole of the source. The energization of relay H closes the front contacts of switch hz to condition the apparatus for a charge-recording operation, and closes contacts hl, completing thereby a holding circuit for relay H as follows: plus pole, relay 20 H, contacts 71.1, contacts d which are normally closed, and negative pole. The movement of armature B at each energization of the magnet G effects a closure of the switch contacts g to complete an energizing circuit for an electromagnet or relayV that is of slow release type and remains energized during the intervals between successive charge impulses. When the series of charge impulses is completed, magnet D is energized after a predetermined time greater than the interval between successive charge impulses through the following circuit: positive pole, contacts is, contacts n, which close on release of V, contacts 7L2, magnet D, and the negative pole. Magnet D on energization attracts its armature actuating thereby roller W which strikes the paper strip P against the type of the type wheel T indicating the charge due in conformity with the number of charge impulses sent from the telephone ofiice. The armature of magnet D forms one arm of a crank lever L, the other arm of which is connected to a lever M carrying a pawl S which actuates a transporting drum R for line spacing of the paper strip P on each return movement of the armature.

Crank lever L also opens contacts (1 thereby causing deenergization of relay H and in dependence therefrom owing to opening of con-.

tacts 7L2 deenergization of magnet D which then allows return of crank L to inoperative position.

Reclosing of contacts (1 in connection with the return movement of crank L completes a circuit as follows: plus pole, contacts k, v and the back contacts of switch he, magnet G, contacts d,

minus pole. This energization of magnet G advances thetype wheels one step in a resetting operation, and closes the normally open switch g, thereby energizing relay V to open switch 1) in the resetting circuit. Magnet G is thereby deenergized and its armature B drops to open switch 9, thus deenergizing magnet V and allowing switch '0 to reclose. This completes the resetting circuit through switch contacts 7c and magnet G, and the resetting operation continues automatically through the alternate energize.- tions of magnets G and V until the switch contacts k are opened by the return of the type wheel T to zero position.

The preceding description refers to a resetting operation that is initiated by the opening of contacts d by the printing mechanism. There is no printing operation when the number of charge impulses is less than that required for the closure of contacts m, as the switch hz remains closed on its back contacts and the release of magnet V is followed at once by the resetting operations, as above described.

The drawing shows a switch US which has not yet been mentioned. This switch allows short circuiting contacts m, so that the means for preventing the printing of charge amounts are inoperative,

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for recording telephone call charges in excess of a value corresponding to a predetermined plural number of charge impulses, the combination with a recording mechanism consisting essentially of a step-by-step device and a cooperating element shiftable into relationship therewith to make a record, means operable in response to electrical impulses to actuate the step-by-step device, and a circuit including electrical means for actuating said cooperating element, of a normally open switch in said circuit, and electromagnetic means including a switch operated by said step-by-step device upon receipt of said predetermined plural number of charge impulses to close said normally open switch.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, in combination with means for resetting said device after the completion of a series of electrical impulses, said resetting means having an energizing circuit including a switch actuated to open position by a slow-acting relay, and means correlated with said step-by-step device to maintain said slow-acting relay energized and thereby its switch constantly open during any uninterrupted step-by-step operation.

3. In an apparatus for the recording of charges for calls in telephone systems, the combination with a printing device including a type carrier having a Zero position and the capacity of stepby-step movement from said zero position, means responsive to charge impulses in connection with each telephone call to cause said step-by-step movement, electrically-operable means for printing coaction with said type carrier, and a circuit for said electrically operable means including a normally closed and a normally open switch in series, a slow-acting relay energized by each charge impulse to open said normally closed switch and thereby prevent operation of said electrically-operable means during any uninterrupted series of charge impulses; of a second relay for closing said normally open switch, an energizing circuit and a holding circuit for said second relay, control means for completing said energizing circuit only after the type carrier has moved through a predetermined plural number of steps from its zero position, and a normally closed switch in said holding circuit for deenergizing said second relay in response to actuation of said electrically-operable means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said control means includes a normally open switch in said relay energizing circuit, and cam means secured to one of said type wheels for closing said switch of the energizing circuit upon movement of that type wheel in response to said predetermined plural number of current impulses.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said control means includes a normally open switch in said relay energizing circuit, and cam means secured to one of said type wheels for closing said switch of the energizing circuit upon movement of that type wheel in response to said predetermined plural number of current impulses, and manually operable means for closing said energizing circuit independently of said cam means and switch, whereby said apparatus may be manually adjusted to record all charges.

MAECEMILIAN MATHIAS. 

